Form vigilance teams to curb pre-Diwali pollution: Central Pollution Control Board

GURUGRAM: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Wednesday directed the MCG to constitute vigilance teams to implement graded response action plan (GRAP) ahead of Diwali. The civic body will form a vigilance team in each zone and appoint a nodal officer, sources said.

The teams will carry out patrolling to tackle waste burning, crop burning and sources of dust pollution.

"While the teams will work in their respective zones to ensure that air pollution levels are low, the nodal officer will review the situation in every 15-20 days or a week. It is a major step taken to prevent air pollution in the city," said Jai Bhagwan Sharma, regional officer, Haryana state pollution control body (HSPCB).

The MCG, an official said, would form four teams and appoint a nodal officer, and the report would be submitted to the corporation every week or fortnight.

Deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh told TOI that the district administration would also make sure that all steps for implementation of GRAP were taken in totality from October 1.

"We have already called a meeting of regional officers of HSPCB to discuss a plan for implementation of the graded response system. The system is implemented once the level of PM2.5 crosses a certain mark. We, however, have to be fully prepared for it. We are soon going to call a meeting of all departments to ensure proper implementation of the system," he said.

He said brick kilns that had not implemented zig-zag technology had already been shut for the next four months.

Prepared by the Supreme Court-mandated environment pollution control authority, the graded response system charts out an action plan to be taken by all departments, including traffic police, civic bodies, regional traffic authority and pollution control boards when the concentration of pollutants, especially particulate matters, reach a certain level. As per the system, the authorities will have to ensure mechanised sweeping, sprinkling of water along roads, smooth flow of traffic, closure of brick kilns, ban on crop burning, a ban on firecrackers and enforcement of pollution control norms.

In 2016, post-Diwali pollution pushed the air quality of Gurgaon to the "severe" level.